Catch up with the latest CAfS news and events - read our latest newsletter. We send our newsletters every couple of weeks. We'll let you know about our forthcoming events, webinars, and courses; top tips for cutting your carbon footprint, our services and projects. To get this direct to your inbox, subscribe to our newsletter! Subscribe to get our newsletter direct to your inbox!
We're counting down to our Change Begins at Home appeal this month as part of the Big Give Green Match Fund (20-27 April 2023). This year we are aiming to raise £20,000 to support our energy services. With an ongoing cost of living crisis pushing more people into hardship, never have our energy support services been more vital. This winter, we saw calls to our helpline more than double and with prices continuing to rise, we are expecting to hear from even more people in need. Our Change Begins at Home appeal is working to ensure we can continue [...]
CAfS putting out a call for volunteers to be part of our third year of community climate champions. Our Climate Champions receive accredited Carbon Literacy training and full support from our brilliant team here at CAfS. They increase their knowledge of climate science and solutions and actively promote actions and ideas that can be developed and maintained in their community. They build confidence and develop relationships within their community, sharing their knowledge and enthusiasm with others. The Climate Champions project has been very successful so far, training over 35 volunteers and reaching over 1300 people thorough a wide variety of [...]
Seven community-led projects, aimed at raising awareness of the climate crisis in Cumbria and helping people to reduce their carbon emissions, have been awarded a grand total of £47,725 from CAfS’ Community Climate Grants scheme, which is funded by the National Lottery’s Climate Action Fund, Allerdale Borough Council and South Lakeland District Council. The projects seeking support for a diverse range of action including a cycling festival, shuttle bus, anaerobic digester and other ideas, were presented to an audience of community groups on March 23rd. Participants then voted for their preferred projects. Among the winning projects was The Rebuild Site [...]
You’ll have seen the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report in the news this week. You’ll have heard the latest warnings, an appeal to governments to listen, and the stark retelling of the scale of challenge that we are facing. What you won’t hear is what it means locally, for your town or village, your business, or your home. What does the IPCC report mean for Cumbria? IPCC tells us Cumbria can make a difference The report tells us that globally ‘there are multiple, feasible and effective options to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to human-caused climate [...]
We are delighted to announce that our application to the Big Give to match fund our annual appeal has been successful! Between 20th-27th April every donation we receive will be doubled, meaning twice the climate action will be made possible here in Cumbria! Last year, our fantastic supporters helped us to raise a massive £12,241 for our Big Cumbrian Climate Challenge campaign. Our infographic shows some of the amazing climate action we achieved over the year. From youth work to community energy projects to smashing carbon literacy targets, our supporters help make positive climate change a reality here in Cumbria. A big thank you [...]
Manning Elliot partnership, an architects firm based in Penrith, have chosen to partner with CAfS as their charity for 2023. They are planning fundraising activities throughout the year that will help support our efforts to combat climate change. Manning Elliot specialise in creating bespoke, forward thinking, and sustainable architecture. Director Nick Bailey said: "Our role as architects is filled with responsibility, this being towards our clients, our projects, our design ethos and very significantly towards our environment and the inherent impact our designs have upon our communities and the way we live and work. "Delivering sustainability and promoting design concepts [...]
We're very excited to announce that Cumbria County Council has allocated CAfS £6,000 for grants to not-for-profit community groups hosting events during Great Big Green Week, 10-18 June. The funding, from the Council’s Environment Fund, will mean grants of up to £300 can be made available to help community organisations arrange and host their own event. The funding can be used for venue hire, publicity, speaker expenses, film hire, or other resources. Great Big Green Week, a national campaign organised by the Climate Coalition, aims to raise awareness of climate change and get more people involved in taking action to [...]
In August 2022, we recruited and trained 15 enthusiastic volunteers in the latest climate science and solutions, to equip them with the knowledge and skills they needed to go out into their communities and share their learning with others. The aim was to engage audiences who might not have been to a climate-themed event before, and encourage them to do something to reduce their carbon footprint or do something climate positive, to contribute towards Cumbria reaching its net zero goal. Champions were active across the county, and occupied a diverse age range from 20s through to 80s! Armed with knowledge [...]
Households in South Lakeland and Eden will get an extra helping hand to cut their energy bills thanks to a funding boost for Cumbria Action for Sustainability. CAfS is expanding support for households wanting to make energy-saving home improvements or fit solar panels, after successful bids to the government’s Shared Prosperity Fund, via South Lakeland and Eden district councils. The funding of £92,294 in South Lakeland and £9,171 in Eden means we will be able to reach even more households through our Cold to Cosy Homes Cumbria draughtproofing and advice service, as well as expanding our support and advice service [...]
